Dividing three-dimensional space into location based virtual packets

• US 8,174,541 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2009
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Richard, Beverland, Conor P., Hirondel, Florence, Yi, Ailun, Kock, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): He, Weiming
• Application Number:
  US12/355,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20100185959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/005 Tree description, e.g. octree, quadtree
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/36 Level of detail

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for three-dimensional virtual world pattern positioning. The method includes creating a three-dimensional pattern for a virtual world environment, sub-dividing the pattern into a plurality of sub-divisions each having a vector relative to a center of the pattern, creating a transform including a description of the pattern and shape information for each sub-division, creating a portion of a virtual world environment by positioning the pattern and sub-divisions, and storing the transform for reusing the pattern and sub-divisions in another virtual world environment.

Claims

1. A method for three-dimensional virtual world pattern positioning, the method comprising:

creating a three-dimensional pattern for a virtual world environment;

sub-dividing the pattern into a plurality of sub-divisions each having a vector relative to a center of the pattern;

creating, using a processor, a transform including a description of the pattern and shape information for each sub-division, wherein the shape information for each sub-division includes a scaling factor based on a longest dimension of the sub-division and a longest dimension of the pattern such that the longest dimension of the sub-division is relative to the longest dimension of the pattern;

creating a portion of a virtual world environment by positioning the pattern;

rendering the sub-divisions according to the transform; and

storing the transform for reusing the pattern and sub-divisions in another virtual world environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shape information further includes an X-Y ratio, wherein the X-Y ratio describes the width of the sub-division in relation to the length of the sub-division.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinates of the vector are offset positions relative to the center of the pattern to a center of the sub-divisions.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving commerce information;

building a node hierarchy with the commerce information;

determining structure information of the commerce information;

transferring the structure information to template node elements;

using the template node elements to determine a pattern to use for creating a level of a virtual world by comparing the template node elements with the stored transform information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the node hierarchy includes:

a location node including a positioning vector used to determine position of a display node and a terminal node, the display node includes an actual representation of a virtual world element, and the terminal node is an object to appear in the virtual world for interaction with visitors.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the object is a store product.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sub-divisions can be further sub-divided.

8. A system for creating and reusing virtual world patterns, the system comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to implement;

an assembly module configured to;

create a three-dimensional pattern for a virtual world environment;

sub-divide the pattern into a plurality of sub-divisions each having a vector relative to a center of the pattern; and

create a transform including a description of the pattern and shape information for each sub-division, wherein the shape information for each sub-division includes a scaling factor based on a longest dimension of the sub-division and a longest dimension of the pattern such that the longest dimension of the sub-division is relative to the longest dimension of the pattern; and

a model builder module configured to;

create a portion of a virtual world environment by positioning the pattern;

render the sub-divisions according to the transform; and

store the transform for reusing the pattern and sub-divisions in another virtual world environment.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the model builder module is further configured to:

receive commerce information;

build a node hierarchy with the commerce information;

determine structure information of the commerce information;

transfer the structure information to template node elements; and

use the template node elements to determine a pattern to use for creating a level of a virtual world by comparing the template node elements with the stored transform information.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the model builder is configured to generate a location node including a positioning vector used to determine position of a display node and a terminal node, wherein the display node includes an actual representation of a virtual world element, and the terminal node is an object to appear in the virtual world for interaction with visitors.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the model builder is configured to re-use the pattern for building a portion of another virtual world environment.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further programmed to implement an excess handler configured to discard excess commerce information in a first mode and divide the commerce information between available spaces in the pattern.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the shape information further includes an X-Y ratio, wherein the X-Y ratio describes the width of the sub-division in relation to the length of the sub-division.

14. A computer-readable storage device with an executable program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to perform:

creating a three-dimensional pattern for a virtual world environment;

sub-dividing the pattern into a plurality of sub-divisions each having a vector relative to a center of the pattern;

creating, using a processor, a transform including a description of the pattern and shape information for each sub-division, wherein the shape information for each sub-division includes a scaling factor based on a longest dimension of the sub-division and a longest dimension of the pattern such that the longest dimension of the sub-division is relative to the longest dimension of the pattern;

creating a portion of a virtual world environment by positioning the pattern;

rendering the sub-divisions according to the transform; and

storing the transform for reusing the pattern and sub-divisions in another virtual world environment.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the shape information further includes an X-Y ratio, wherein the X-Y ratio describes the width of the sub-division in relation to the length of the sub-division.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein coordinates of the vector are offset positions relative to the center of the pattern to a center of the sub-divisions.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, further causing the computer to:

receive commerce information;

build a node hierarchy with the commerce information;

determine structure information of the commerce information;

transfer the structure information to template node elements;

use the template node elements to determine a pattern to use for creating a level of a virtual world by comparing the template node elements with the stored transform information.

18. The computer-readable storage device of claim 17, wherein the node hierarchy includes:

a location node including a positioning vector used to determine position of a display node and a terminal node, the display node includes an actual representation of a virtual world element, and the terminal node is an object to appear in the virtual world for interaction with visitors.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the object is a store product.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 14, wherein the sub-divisions can be further sub-divided.